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REVIEW
VOL.
XXL
Published Every Saturday at 3 East FoiirtesntU Stra3t.
No. i
In The West.
THE
liUSINESS OUTLOOK
SAYS
VISITORS IN
AT MT.
CLExMENS
HOWARD
MEN
THE
IN
OUT
TOWN
P.
J.
H.
I).
CABLE
WM. STEINWAY
GILDEMEESTER.
FISCHER-MAN—CHICAGO
THE
WEST
WHAT
EAST
WILL
THE HACKLEY
J. V. STEGER
TRAVELERS
BUSH
PIANO.
THE KIMBALL CO.
J.
N.
MERRILL
IN THE WEST—STRAY SHOTS.
THE RUSSELL STRIKE.
T
HERE is no mistaking the fact that
everyone in the music trade in this
locality is looking forward to a big fall
trade, and also anticipating that it will
strike us early. It seems to be the uni-
versal opinion that good times are now
with us. I cut this from last Saturday's
Indicator: " I n a conversation with H. U.
Cable, president of the Chicago Cottage
Organ Co., he stated that he had recently
sent out letters to his prominent agents in
different sections of the Gountry asking in-
formation regarding the state of the crops
in their localities and the prospects for the
coming fall trade. Without hardly an ex-
ception favorable reports were received,
which leads Mr. Cable to believe that while
he does not anticipate any boom he has
every reason to believe from the reports
that there will be a first-class fall busi-
ness."
We have had many well-known people in
town recently. Nahum Stetson, of Stein-
way & Sons, spent a few hours here this
week. He was going to take a run further
West. He accompanied Mr. Win, Stein-
way as far as Mt. Clemens, Mich., where
Mr. Steinway will take the baths at that
popular health resort for a while.
P. J. Gildcmeester, I understand, is due
here almrst any day.
R. S. Howard, the Fischer-man, just
looked into town and smiled that How-
ardian smile and departed. It is said that
Mr. Howard is becoming an enthusiastic
bicyclist.
While we have been having some of the
noted men of the East, there has also been
an outward flow of notables of Chicago
music trade.
Mr. P. J. Healy, head of the great house
of Lyon & Healy, is probably either in
your city or in Boston at this time of writ-
ing.
New York, July 27, 1895.
W. W. Kimball, I understand, is to sail
from New York next Saturday for Europe,
likewise Mr. George W. Tewksbury, of the
Chicago Cottage Organ Co.
Calvin Whitney, of the A. B. Chase Co.,
was here and expressed himself being as
enthusiastic over the trade outlook.
Will L. Bush is exploring the wilds of the
north west.
It is hoped that he will
steer clear of the Bannock tribe in Idaho.
Will, however, will be sure to bring back
some scalps, anyway; he always does.
The Hackley piano is the latest comer in
the piano manufacturing domain. It will
be manufactured by the Chase Bros. Piano
Co., it is said, in the factory formerly occu-
pied by the Nelson Piano Co., Muskegon,
Mich. The name is taken in honor of Mr.
C. H. Hackley, one of the wealthiest men
in western Michigan, and a stockholder in
the Chase Bros. Co.
J. V. Steger, the one and only, is exceed-
ingly gratified at the rapid progress on the
new Singer factory, Columbia Heights.
More Singers and plenty of them, that is
the cry from the dealers.
When the W. W. Kimball Co. acquired
their splendid property on Wabash avenue,
the purchase was subject to a mortgage of
$100,000, given by the former owners. On
Friday, July 12th, the Kimball Co. paid off
this mortgage in full and placed the release
on record.
The above words show in brief what
a tremendous monetary power the Kim-
ball corporation is. Nothing daunts them,
and the matter of $100,000 seems a mere
bagatelle.
The Musical Times publishes the follow-
ing very sensible sentiments regarding the
travelers: "There are travelers in the trade
to-day who receive very handsome salaries,
but who are worth all they get and more
because of the popularity their goods re-
ceive, owing to their own individual popu-
larity. In the one sense of advertisement
alone, the right road man earns his salary
for the house he represents."
J. N. Merrill, manufacturer of the Merrill
piano, Boston, Mass., paid a flying visit
out here recently. Mr. Merrill ought to
come West oftener.
It is said that Mr. Jones, Hammacher,
Schlemmer & Co.'s resident representative
in this citv, will open a branch here in the
near future.
Mr. C. H. Story is spending his vacation
at Mackinac Island.
$l.oo PER YEAR-
SINGLE COPIES,IO CENTS.
The recent strike in the Russell factory
did not cause a serious business interrup-
tion.
Regarding the bicycle craze, Prcstp says:
"The bicycle seems just now to be playing
the part of the 'fifth wheel 1 to the piano
trade in some places. Several of the Chi-
cago piano houses on Wabash avenue are
displaying bicycles, and selling them at
reduced rates. We shudder at the thought
of some clay seeing bloomer costumes
hanging outside the piano store doors or
draped upon figures in the windows. And
yet the 'wheel' is not a bad accompani-
ment to the piano, for the two are almost
necessary to an even physical development.
The piano gives exercise only to the hands
and arms. With the wheel the pianist may
develop also the pedal extremities and so
hold things even! Perhaps, therefore, the
piano store is the place for the bicycle,
after all."
Volney Barrett Commits Suicide.
V
OLNEY B. BARRETT, of the firm
of Barrett Bros., music dealers,Bing-
hamton, N. Y., shot himself through the
heart shortly after eleven o'clock last
Thursday at his rooms at No. 61 Carroll
street. Mr. Barrett, it is thought, must
have been mentally unbalanced at the time,
as there was no trouble other than that of
ill health, which could have led him to
commit the deed.
Deceased was abont
forty-eight years of age and unmarried.
Further developments tend to show that
a love affair may have had something to do
with the suicide. Mr. Barrett had been
very attentive to a young lady prominent
in society circles, and, it is said, saw her
riding with another young man. He called
at the home of the young lad}' before the
shooting.
THE work has commenced on a new
building to be put up at Blake's mill, East
Pepperell, Mass., to be used for the manu-
facture of Apollo harps for the Flagg Manu-
facturing Co., of Boston, of which Mr.
G. A. Fullerton is manager, to be 54x63
feet, three stories high.
THE pianoistore of Schemmel & Pfister,
72 East Santa Clara street, San Jose, Cal.,
was destroyed by fire. Loss, $9,000.